Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

LAS CRUCES — Authorities are seeking a suspect who's believed to be driving an SUV and may be armed.

Authorities believe the man, last seen driving a gold or silver SUV, may have been involved in a carjacking in El Paso and a robbery in Las Cruces. He may have changed vehicles, winding up in the SUV, according to police scanner traffic.

Shortly before 11 a.m., the suspect was believed to have been in the vicinity of University Avenue and Interstate 10. The suspect may have gotten onto I-10 eastbound.

The man is believed to be wearing a mask, a blue or gray shirt and a black hoodie or mask.

Several Las Cruces Public Schools were placed on lockdown for a short time Monday during the search. By 11:16 a.m., that lockdown was lifted.

Here's the district's latest message:

As a precautionary measure Rio Grande Preparatory Institute has been placed on lockdown while police investigate reports of a potential threat. Due to the Proximity of the school, Zia Middle School Tombaugh and Mesilla Elementary have also gone into lockdown. All students and staff are safe. During a lockdown no one is allowed in or out of the school. Due to a high call volume, phones have been routed to Central Office. Additional information will be updated to the district’s website (www.lcps.net) as it becomes available. As of 11:16 A.M. all schools have been lifted of shelter in place and lock down status

Anyone with information should call the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority at 575-526-0795 or, in an emergency, 911.